News

2007Q3

Capturing the spirit of the project is a process that begins with building a relationship with the community and its stakeholders. By MAI highlighting Alkebu-lan’s cultural expressions of song, performing arts, and dance, it reveals the heart and soul of their contemporary interpretation; thus transforming the community.

No matter the market, each MAI facility strives to foster an inter-relationship [interpretation] between the client, end-user and the surrounding community. To implement this process, often in these advancing environmental times, MAI inspires to transform through sustainable and/or LEED practices.

Pragmatically, MAI was commissioned in 2005 to provide schematic design, design development, C.U.P. Assistance, LEED® documentation, specifications, cost estimating, and rendering services. Since then our professional services and inter-relationship has grown and developed significantly. With Alkebu-lan’s launch of their Capital Campaign in Q3 of this year, MAI and Alkebu-lan are working together to raise the funds to begin construction. Please see the homepage DVD presentation for information and donations. Homepage click on "VIEW DVD PRESENTATION" button.

The Alkebu-lan Cultural Center is a community-based, non-profit center offering arts-based enrichment in northwest Pasadena. The center is located in a renovated 1938 Spanish-Mission style fire station and its adjacent fire fighting water reservoir building; both designed by architect Glenn Elwood Smith. Due to the importance and success of its mission in this ethnically diverse neighborhood, growth of the Center’s programs has necessitated expansion of the space to include classrooms for tutoring, a dance studio, an arts and crafts room, five practice rooms, a 99-seat theater, library, and a kitchen.

In response to the challenge of integrating the forms, rhythms and colors that represent traditional African art with the existing Spanish-Mission style facility, MAI’s architectural approach is to keep the sensitively restored fire station intact and to adapt and re-use the heavy concrete exterior walls of the reservoir building. The design is realized on two levels, the new theater, lobby, dance studio, the ancillary spaces and the existing renovated fire station occupying the main level. The balance of the program is located on the lower level within the exterior walls of the reservoir building. A total of 5,300 square feet is added to the current space, while 5,700 square feet is incorporated within the reservoir.

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